their romance had come. “I am truly grateful for my brother’s return.”
James gave her a questioning look as if he suddenly had no idea what she was on about. “I should leave you to reunite.” He bowed. “I’ll go stable the horses.”
“Are you hungry?” Ailish asked, giving Harris’ shoulder a pat.
“Famished.”
“The evening meal will be served soon, but how about a slice of bread and honey to tide you over?”
Never one to refuse a sweet, the lad licked his lips. “Yes, please.”
She quickly sliced a bit of bread and drizzled on the honey. “You must be beside yourself with shock after your ordeal.”
Harris moved to the table and sat on a bench. “Mayhap I was at first.”
“Only at first?”
“Aye, Uncle Herbert was terribly mean. He made me sleep at the bottom of a windowless turret and said he wanted to feed me to the sharks, but since he had no heir, King Edward refused to allow him to do so.”
Cringing at the sound of the English king’s name, Ailish set the plate in front of the boy, then joined him on the bench. “At least we no longer need to concern ourselves with our vile uncle.”
“Because you killed him?”
“How did you know?”
“Sir Henry told me.”
“Sir Henry?”
“Percy. One of King Edward’s most esteemed knights.” Harris took a big bite of his bread, then continued to speak with his mouth full, “He was training me to be his squire. Said I was the earl now, and his duty was to foster me.”
Ailish shuddered. Henry Percy not only pillaged the Douglas crofts, he was renowned for his merciless attacks on unarmed Scottish folk. It seemed her brother may have not been rescued soon enough. She brushed a bit of flour off his cheek, only managing to smudge it. “I shall write to King Robert and ask him to appoint a Scottish knight to foster you.”
Harris’ eyes grew wide with an expression of utter disbelief. “But the Bruce is an imposter.”
“I am afraid you have been sorely led astray. Sir Henry was only being kind to you because the King of England wants you to do his bidding. He was trying to turn your loyalties just as he turned Uncle Herbert.”
Harris stopped midchew, his face going through a myriad of emotions from disbelief, to deep concern, to realization. “You mean Sir Henry meant to make me as evil as our uncle?”
Ailish hated to oversimplify it, but the boy well knew the devious and despicable nature of their uncle, and that Herbert had not only robbed Harris of his birthright but that he’d joined with Edward to take Caerlaverock Castle and murder their father. “Make no bones about it, the King of England will stop at nothing to annex Scotland to his wicked empire, and cares not who he may hurt.”
Harris pushed the plate away, his bottom lip quivering. “But what you’re saying cannot be true. At least not the part about Sir Henry. He liked me. He was fun, and he rode with me every morning…l-let me groom the horses, too!”
A tear slipped from the lad’s eye, making Ailish’s heart twist in a knot. She pulled him into her embrace. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you. But before you were sent to Sir Henry, he burned and pillaged the Douglas—killed many of the families who supported Sir James.”
“Not Sir Henry. He would never do such a thing.”
“If there is anyone in all of Christendom you can believe, it is me. I have done everything to try to protect you, have I not?”
“Aye.”
“And I agree. You must become a squire and learn the ways of knighthood. I will see to it you are trained by one of King Robert’s best.”
“But…he’s a bad person,” Harris whispered.
“Nay, he is the only good thing that has happened to Scotland in a very long time.” Ailish squeezed her brother’s shoulders. “Do you not remember when I went to the king’s coronation to plead that he recognize you as the true earl?”
Harris gave a sorrowful nod.
“He gave me his word that he will fight to reinstate you to Caerlaverock and rid Scotland of Edward’s men.”
“But they’re everywhere. And they hate Robert. They’re riding to Kildrummy to set the castle to fire and sword and take the Bruce’s wife.”
Ailish’s throat closed so tightly, she felt strangled. “Did you mention this to Sir James?”
“N-nay.”
“Do you ken when they’re planning to ride?”
The lad shook his head. “I only overheard Sir Henry speak of it two days past when he was outside